Dubai Prepares for Tourism Surge
Dubai’s tourism industry has been active throughout the pandemic and is now prepared for a major surge in visitors, Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, shared when speaking at a virtual press event.
According to Kazim, Dubai was one of the first destinations to open for international visitors with strict protocols governed by the Dubai Assured program and is leading a successful vaccination program. This year will see new initiatives for Dubai aimed at restoring travel confidence and inspiring visitors to return or visit for the first time based on the new developments coming online in 2021.
Jumpstarting the return to tourism, said Kazim, will be Expo 2020 Dubai, originally scheduled for last year. It will run for six months beginning Oct. 1 and will see representation by 190 countries. It is expected that 70 percent of visitors will be international.
The destination has been intent on maintaining its relationships with the travel trade throughout the pandemic, said Soraya Al-Olama, assistant manager, North America, and has maintained its active partnerships with Virtuoso, Signature, Travel Leaders, CCRA and other advisor networks. During the pandemic, Dubai held over 60 webinars and trained over 11,000 agents. It also participated in joint marketing and educational initiatives with Abu Dhabi, another of the United Arab Emirates. In addition, said Al-Olama, a monthly newsletter goes to 11,000 advisors.
A partnership with Israel has been launched said Al-Olama, as a result of the recently strengthened relationship between the two countries. There has already been a fam trip around the Jewish tourist market.
There will also be a concentrated focus, she said, on accessible tourism, and there are fam trips being operated for that segment as well. Finally, as live trade conferences begin, said Al-Olama, Dubai will be an active participant.
Dubai, according to Kazim, wants to change the perception that it is a two- to three-day destination that appeals to a specific demographic. He said there is enough to see and do for 10 days or more and that the country aims to appeal to all groups, including women traveling alone, business travelers and families. The country, he noted, has the busiest international airport in the world so it is easy to get there and go elsewhere from there.
As for the destination itself, Kazim said the country has a rich cultural and arts scene – representative of the 200 nationalities who live there. An arts zone, he said, has many new art galleries, coffee shops and restaurants “and a great deal of energy.”
Kazim also said Dubai is trying to “move away from the superlatives that put Dubai on the map” (like the largest indoor ski slope). Instead, he said, the country wants to focus on the depth and quality of visitor experiences. From the moment visitors land through everything they do, said Kazim, “we want to make sure to leave a positive impression and that people feel as safe and comfortable as though they were home.”
Dubai has set a goal of being a global leader in meetings and events, and Kazim was optimistic on that front as well. He said that with live meetings already happening, “I can safely tell you that people are hugging when they meet face to face.” He said virtual components will complement face-to-face gatherings in the future for those who can’t attend, as virtual technologies used during the pandemic now make it easier to incorporate those elements.